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Triceratops is a genus of ceratopsian dinosaur. Fossils of this genus date to the Late Cretaceous period, where they are found in Maastrichtian aged strata, between 68 and 66 million years ago, in in what is now North America.

It is one of the last known non-avian dinosaur genera, and became extinct in the Cretaceous–Paleogene extinction event 66-65 million years ago. Bearing a large bony frill and three horns on its large four-legged body, and possessing similarities with the modern rhinoceros, Triceratops is one of the most recognizable of all dinosaurs and the best known ceratopsid. It shared the landscape with and was probably preyed upon by Tyrannosaurus, though it is less certain that the two did battle in the manner often depicted in traditional museum displays and popular images.

The horns could have been used to defend off attacks. A partial Triceratops fossil collected in 1997 has a horn that was bitten off, with bite marks that match Tyrannosaurus. The fossil shows that the horn healed after being bitten, so at least some Triceratops survived these encounters. Puncture marks on fossil frills show that male Triceratops also used their horns to fight each other, probably to impress females.

Many other horned dinosaurs are known to have lived in herds due to a fossil find of many different individuals at the same location. By moving in herds, the animals could warn each other of danger and lessen their chances of being singled out by a predator. However, Triceratops was unusual in this respect, as their remains are usually found individually, suggesting they may have spent much of their lives alone.

In the original script only, a herd of them is encountered by Kong on volcanic flats; he hurls boulders at them and drives them into a stampede. One of the SS Venture's crewmen is impaled in the resulting chaos.